An interview and strawberry ice cream
by yaelchen
Summary: My first fanfiction attempt: An interview with a serial killer throws Emily off balance. Emily/Hotch friendship!


The air in the interview room was hot and sticky and Emily had to wipe sweat from her forehead repeatedly. She and Hotch had just walked into the small room but she just wanted to leave already. And she could tell be the wrinkle that appeared on his face that Hotch was feeling the same. He sat down onto an uncomfortable looking steel chair and Emily walked over to a relatively dark corner, just like they discussed before. Hotch would make the suspect on the other side angry and sweating at first, and then Emily would intervene and play a good cop, and hopefully make him talk. And they needed him to confess. After weeks filled with intensive work all they had nothing to tie him to the series of abductions and brutally killings of little girls besides of a witness placing him in the one crime scene and blurry profile. It wouldn't stand even a minute in court. Emily had the gut feeling that they found their guy, but unfortunately that was not enough.

Hushed sounds came from the other side of the massive door and then two uniformed officers and a handsome man in his thirties stepped in. They attached his handcuffs on the table and one of them, obviously the senior one, looked at Hotch questioningly. Hotch just nodded and the policemen stepped outside.

He turned around facing the blond man who showed them a smirk, which made Emily wanting to throw up. "Mr. Nolan, why did you lie earlier about the time you were at home yesterday night?"

After a hour they had a confession. The suspect, Jared Nolan told the in detail what he did to the six little girls he abducted. He had kidnapped them from public places, brought them into his cellar, tortured them with little knifewounds and electric shocks, raped them and finally strangled them to death. And dumped the bodies afterwards in the nearby river. He gave both profilers everything they needed, times, dates, locations, but they didn't get a motive. And to be honest, Emily wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it. Fortunately for her Hotch didn't asked for the reason of the killing.

Jared Nolan signed his confession and both profilers turned to go when their opponent spoke up:

"You want to know why I did it, don't you? These girls… they wanted it, too. The sex and the torture I mean."

Hotch tensed, Emily gasped and they both turned around. "They wanted it, too??? Amy Hardin just turned nine the week you killed her. I bet she did not want to die at that age! You betrayed their trust. You were their teacher for god's sake! They looked up to you. And you raped them. Why did you do that?" Emily exploded and shivered slightly. She felt like someone sucked all warmth out of the room. Like all happy memories were suddenly gone.

The blond suspect lent back and crossed his arms in front of his chest, a big smirk all over is face. "Why I did what I did? They reminded me of my sister, I think." Emily turned pale and sucked air into her lunge. " What did your sister do to you that you hate her so much?" His smile faded "That is the thing, she did nothing…" His face became a grimace filled with pain and disappointment. "She was supposed to take care of me, but she did nothing." Jared Nolan starred at the red brick wall and started to rock back and forth, just like children do when they experienced something horrible. "Nothing"

Suddenly Emily felt bad for him. He looked so lost and childlike that she had to fight the urge to step to his side and hug him. Comfort him in some way. But the sound of Hotch, clearing his throat quietly, snapped her out of it, and she asked gently: " What did happen to you Jared? What didn't she stop?" Jared's eyes met hers and she could see deep and endless pain in them. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth but no sound came out. He coughed to regain his voice and told them his story:

He had been just a little boy when it happened, eight years old. One day his mother left to work one evening and everything changed. It was summer and school ended a few days ago so Jared and his older sister Hanna watched television when two men broke the apartment door down. Both kids wanted to hide in the closet but Hanna was faster and whispered to him that he should find another place to hide. He still hadn't when the men came into the room. The burglary escalated into them raping and almost killing the boy.

Emily dropped exhausted onto the sofa in the precincts rec room and closed her eyes. She tried to regain some control over her emotions and clear her mind, but images of the dead girls kept popping into her head. And a young Jared Harding being tortured. The nightmares were about to come again, of that she was sure. She sighed and massaged her temples. She would be lucky if she could sleep just a little bit tonight.

"Emily?", Hotch asked gentle and she opened her eyes slowly. The older profiler offered her a hand, "Come on, we go for a walk, okay? Maybe to get you a coffee, on my treat?" Emily hesitated, but after a second she took the hand and stood up smiling slightly "A big latte macchiato with chocolate would be great…and some strawberry ice cream!" One of Hotch's dimples appeared and Emily fought hard to stare at his face "I think that can be arranged" Hey walked through the precinct without talking, just comfortable in each other's presence. Realizing that the others might worry where they were Hotch called over his shoulder: "JJ? Emily and me go get coffee. Do you want some?" After hearing a hushed "no, I'm okay" both colleagues stepped outside. The bright sun blended Emily shortly and when her eyes got used to the light she saw that there was not one cloud in the sky and a few trees across the street waved lightly in the warm breeze. Even though it was louder then inside Emily felt herself calm at the sound of happy kids on the playground and little bird singing their songs. It was so… peaceful, so different then the world they came from. Hotch who saw Emily's eyes linger on the playing children leant forward and said quietly into her hear: "See how carefree they are?" Emily nodded. " That is because you are great at your job. You keep them save." " But I… we can't save them all." "No, we can't" Hotch agreed softly "But if we save one life we save the world. And you saved quiet a few today. All the girls he would have hurt. And him. The court will probably make a deal so that Nolan gets the help he needs" And when Emily smiled lightly he laid his arms around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. " Come on, let get your coffee!" She nudged gently his side and grinned "and my strawberry ice cream!" Hotch chuckled "and your strawberry ice cream!"


End file.
